MANILA (UPDATED) — Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go defended Monday the 6-year drug war of the Duterte administration, in which thousands of drug suspects were killed allegedly by state forces.

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Speaking before the Senate Blue Ribbon inquiry, Go said crime was rampant and drugs were everywhere before Rodrigo Duterte was elected president in 2016.

He said Duterte won the presidency because of his campaign promise to rid the country of the scourge of illegal drugs, crime and corruption.

“Talamak talaga ang ilegal na droga, napasukan ito ng sindikato at karamihan diyan armado…Kinailangan ang kamay na bakal,” Go said.

Go, who was appointed special assistant to the President before he was elected senator in 2019, also denied accusations of a reward system instituted by Malacanang in which police officers were paid for every drug suspect killed.

“Wala pong diumano’y reward system kapalit ng war on drugs. Ni minsan po hindi ako authorized, hindi ako humahawak ng pera. Never ako naghandle ng budget o financial matters taliwas ng sinasabi ng iba,” he said.

This is after resource persons at the House of Representatives Quad Committee hearings earlier revealed the alleged reward system, which supposedly paid out as much as P100,000 per drug suspect killed.

Retired police colonel Royina Garma earlier claimed Go coordinated with National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo in setting up the system to give police officers cash incentives for every drug suspect killed. 

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In his speech, Go noted that 55 percent of barangays became “drug-free” during Duterte’s presidency and the crime rate went down by 70 percent.

He said the drug war enjoyed widespread support as far back as 3 years ago, adding “nakakalungkot dahil bumaliktad na po.” 

More than 6,000 drug suspects were killed in police operations during the Duterte administration, based on official figures. But rights groups estimate up to 30,000 individuals could have been lost due to the drug war.

NUPL FEARS WHITEWASH

In a statement, the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers, which has been assisting families of alleged drug war victims, said it was "aghast" that the hearing had "become a platform for those involved and accused."

It said that this casts doubts on whether the Senate investigaiton will be independent and effective, adding there is a risk that proceedings will be used to whitewash the drug war.

It said that neither former Duterte aide Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go and former national police chief Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa "had neither the decency nor discretion to inhibit themselves" from the probe.